


Christmas Dress Up

by This_is_not_my_Penname



Series: Advent Ficlets 2018 [16]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Advent Ficlet Challenge 2018, F/M, family photos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 21:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17030694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_is_not_my_Penname/pseuds/This_is_not_my_Penname
Summary: For the Advent Ficlet Challenge Day 16: Season's GreetingsRiza hated dressing up for the annual Christmas photo, but later turns into her mother.





	Christmas Dress Up

Riza fidgeted, and then winced as the bow clipped in her hair tugged painfully. She didn’t understand why she had to wear the uncomfortable dress with its starchy collar and its heavy fabric or the pinchy shoes that made her feet uncomfortable. It would even be okay, except every time she moved, even just a fraction, the bow pulled on her hair.

“Why d’we gotta take this stupid picture anyway?” Riza griped, her chubby child-like hands reaching up to pull the bow out of her hair. Her mother’s hands stopped her, moving her hands back to her lap.

“It’s for your grandparents, and some of our friends. It’s just one picture. Can you please sit still for five minutes so we can do this and be finished?”

“I wanna be finished  _ now _ , mama! I dun like the bow! It’s pully and the shoes are pinchy and the dress is heavy!”

Her mother sighed and pulled her closer, shifting Riza around on her lap. “I know, darling. It’ll be just a few more minutes. Your father will be here in just a moment with the photographer.”

Riza pouted and squirmed on her mother’s lap, yelping each time the bow pulled at her hair. Her mother sighed again, trying to settle Riza down.

“Alright, where are my girls!”

Riza grinned, seeing her father appear, the photographer following right behind. “Father! It’s picture time so I can take off the stupid bow! Mama said I could take it off when the picture’s done so it’s done now right?”

“Not quite, Riza. We have to actually take the picture. It should just be a couple minutes. You can be a big girl and sit still for a few minutes, right?”

“But I dun wanna!”

“Please, Riza?” her mother begged. “Just a few minutes and then you can go change.”

Riza pouted again. “Fine. But I dun wanna wear the stupid bow no more.”

“It’s just for the picture,” her mother replied. “As soon as we’re done you can take it off. Okay?”

“Fine. But I dun likes it.” Riza continued to pout as the cameraman set up his camera. It took forever before Riza was able to clamber off her mother’s lap and run from the room in order to change. She yanked the bow from her hair, dropping it on the stairs. Finally, she could breathe. She hated the stupid outfit. She wanted to go play. Mama said that after the picture she’d be able to go change and play with her dolls. That was all she wanted.

***

“What do you think, Roy? This one is cute, isn’t it?” Riza held up the cranberry dress. “It’ll look wonderful on Ellie…”

“I dunno, Ri. It looks kinda heavy. What if she doesn’t like it?”

“It’s just for the picture. We’re only gonna be there a few minutes. We can bring her a change to the studio…”

“Do you think you’d be comfortable in something like that?”

Riza hesitated for a moment. “I’m… Oh god, I’m turning into my mother!” She started laughing hysterically. “I… I had to do this same thing when I was… I must have been five years old. She made me clip a bow in my hair.”

“So…”

“So we put Ellie in her normal clothes and we take a cute photo to send to Jean and Becca and Maes and Gracia. Any other friends we have to send a letter to?”

“Well… Fuery’s got a cute beau, and we should probably send one to my Aunt as well.”

“Oh! I completely forgot about Chris… We should go visit this year. It’d be fun for Ellie to see Central.”

“We should. Now, shall we go?”

Riza nodded, going to the nursery to pick up Eleanor. She was smiling, wide awake and ready. “You wanna go get your picture taken, pretty girl?” Riza cooed, scooping her daughter into her arms. Eleanor babbled in response, her eyes wide and excited. Riza placed her into her baby carrier and walked out to the car with Roy. This would be a family photo she’d never forget.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments below!


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